Building-block and wall.



A. E. MATTHEWS.

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A. E. MATTHEWS.

BUILDING BLOCK AND WALL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, 1906.

932, 1 5'7. Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

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ATTORNEY.

A. E. MATTHEWS. BUILDING BLOCK AND WALL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, 1906.

982,1 57 Patented 24,1909.

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WITNESSES: I N VEN TOR.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT E. MATTHEWS, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

BUILDING-BLOCK AND WALL.

Blocks and WValls, of which the following is E a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in building blocks and walls formed therefrom, its object being to provide blocks which when arranged and assembled in the manner hereinafter to be described, will form a structure of great strength and durability, adapted to be employed for heating and ventilating purposes and to afford a complete protection against frost.

Other structural advantages of my invention will be disclosed in the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in the various views of which like parts are similarly designated.

and in which,

Figure 1represents a perspective, partly sectional View of a wall composed of my improved building blocks, Fig. 2-a plan view of one of the courses of blocks comprised in a wall, the subjacent course being shown in broken lines, Fig. 3a similar view of one of the lower courses showing inlet for gases or smoke from a furnace, and the manner of applying the joists of a building, Fig. 4: a similar View, partly in section illustrating the manner of ventilating the apartments of the building surrounded by my improved walls, Fig. 5a vertical fragmentary section through a wall, taken along a line 55, Figs. 2 and 3, Fig. 6a fragmentary vertical section taken along a line 6-6, Fig. 3, Fig. 7 an enlarged perspective view of one of the building blocks, and Fig. 8a fragmentary plan view of a block showing a modified method of construction.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character 7 designates the building blocks employed in the construction of the improved wall, as illustrated in Fig. 1, and which may be made of' concrete, cement or any other suitable substance or composition.

Each block is composed of two parallel members 8 and 9, the upper and lower surfaces of which lie in parallel, horizontal planes and which are centrally connected by an integral, intermediate neck 10.

The portion 9 of the block is substantially Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 21, 1906.

Serial No. 344,458.

wedge shaped, its oblique end surfaces 11 converging toward the neck 10, while the other part 8, exceeds the first named part in length and is of rectangular-prismatic form.

The lengths of the two members, or in Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

other words, the distances between their re- 4 spective end surfaces, are proportioned so that the mean distance'between the oblique ends 11 of the wedge shaped member, measured along a line a-a, Fig. 7 midway between its parallel vertical sides, is one-half of the distance between the ends 12 of the elongated member 8. For convenience in manufacture and manipulation, the sharp outer corners of the trapezoidal-prismatic portion of the blocks are preferably omitted by truncation of the member, and similar triangular-prismatic portions added to the member at its inner vertical edges, so that when the oblique ends of two adjoining, reversedly disposed blocks are placed contiguously, their outer and inner edges will be in perfect alinement.

The converging ends 11 and the parallel ends 12 of the blocks are respectively provided with vertically extending, semi-oylindrical grooves 13 and 14, while similarly shaped grooves 15 are cut in the upper and lower surfaces of the wedge shaped portion, midway between its vertical parallel sides and in parallel relation thereto. The object of the various grooves is to afford means to reinforce the structure by the application of metal rods or a suitable adhesive substance, as will hereinafter be described.

The blocks 7 may furthermore be provided with central, transverse, preferably cylindrical passages 16 which when filled with wooden plugs, afford means for fastening moldings and the like or which when open, may be employed for Ventilation purposes.

The vertical measurement or height of the blocks may vary in accordance with the nature of the structure but is preferably made equal to their width, or the distance between their parallel, vertical faces.

lVhen the blocks are assembled in the manner illustrated in the drawings, the'vertical faces of their elongated members 8 compose the outer surfaces of the structure and it will be understood that for ornamental purposes these faces may be roughened to represent stone or otherwise fashioned to produce an artistic effect.

Having thus described the construction of the individual blocks, I will proceed to set forth the manner in which they are assembled to form the advantageous structure referred to hereinbefore.

The blocks comprised in the walls of an inclosure are indentical with the exception of those employed to form corners, angles or window openings, which may be made of any desired shape, either hollow or solid and which, not being part of my invention, have been omitted from the drawings.

The vertical walls, as illustrated in the drawings, are composed of a plurality of superimposed, horizontal courses 17, arranged in relation to each other so that the blocks in each, break joints with those comprised in the contiguous ones. Each course is composed of two reversedly arranged series of longitudinally alined, adjoining blocks, the outer faces of which form collectively, the inner and outer surfaces of the structure in which they are included. When thus arranged, the wedge shaped members 9, of the blocks comprised in the two series, are in horizontal alinement and the oblique ends of the alternate blocks in the two series are contiguous. The blocks comprised in each course 17, being thus interlocked, secure each other against lateral displacement, and are connected by means of cement, mortar or other suitable adhesive substance, applied between their juxtaposed end surfaces 11 and 12, and in the registering grooves 13 and 14.

The above described arrangement of the blocks in each course forms two rows of longitudinally alined, vertical passages 18, disposed in staggered relation to each other, and when the various-courses comprised in the structure are placed one upon the other with overlapping joints, the passages in the two rows will likewise overlap the passages in the respective rows of the adjoining courses and thus form two parallel, separated air-spaces 19 and 20, each composed of a plurality of intercommunicating, vertical, zig-zag conduits and extending throughout the entire walls of the inclosure. The advantages derived from these air spaces which, as will be observed, form two vertical flues, dividing the structure, metaphorically speaking, into three parallel walls, will be readily understood by reference to Figs. 3, 4.- and 5 of the drawings.

Assuming that the reference character A designates the outside and B the inside of the inclosure formed by the walls, I'connect the inner fine 20 at the lower portion of each wall, with a furnace, stove or other source of heat, by means of suitable conduits 21, an extremity of which extends between the adjacent ends 12 of two of the blocks, the members 8 of which have, to this end, been reduced in length. The orifice of the fine 20, in the uppermost tier of blocks is connected with a conduit 22 leading to a chimney or analogous contrivance, so that a suction may be created which will draw gases or other products of combustion upwardly through a joists 23 below the floors of the building, as

illustrated in Fig. 3.

The outer flues 19 of the walls may be connected with the interior of the inclosure preferably at the upper portion of the various apartments contained therein, by means of the before named transverse passages 16, and the orifice of the said fines in the uppermost course of blocks may be connected either with the before named conduit 22 or with an independent suction-creating appliance. The object of this arrangement is to exhaust foul air from the various apartments, and to thus promote the hygienic condition of the building.

lVhen the various courses comprised in each wall are arranged in their relative positions, the cylindrical passages formed by vthe registering grooves 13 in the wedge shaped parts of the blocks, extend in alinement and form continuous vertical passages which may be employed for the a pliance of rods 24 to reinforce the structure ee Fig. 6). Similar rods may be inserted in the horizontal passages formed by the registering grooves 15 in the adjoining blocks of each two successive courses and the entire structure thus reinforced, will in addition to its other advantages be proof against the most severe strains.

1 wish it understood that the contour of the members of the blocks may be varied to suit varying requirements as is shown in Fig. 8, which illustrates a modified manner of construction of the wedge shaped portion whose oblique faces are in this instance, composed of two identical, reversed curves.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is 1. A building block comprising a rectangular portion, a shorter portion having converging ends, and a neck connecting the two portions and leaving a space between themner sides of said portions.

2. A building block comprising a rectangular portion, a shorter portion having convergent ends and a neck connecting the two portions and leaving a space between the inner sides of said portions, said rectangular portion having its ends grooved and the shorter portion having grooves in its ends and sides.

3. A building Wall composed of a pluralinterlocking and the longer members of each ity of courses arranged one above the other, row being in alinement. 10 each course consisting of two rows of blocks, In testimony whereof I have aflixed my and each block comprising a rectangular signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

portion, a shorter portion having convergent ALBERT E. MATTHEWS.

ends and a neck connecting the two portions, lVitnesses:

said blocks being reversely arranged and all W. W. W. JONES,

the shorter portions being in alinementand DAVID A. CLARK. 

